Mixtape Blog: The I-vi-IV-V Progression Through Time

It Goes Like This: (The First, the Sixth) The Fourth, The Fifth

In this line, Cohen explains the relationship of a song’s musical components; in this case, the fourth and fifth chords of a key. In fact, while he sings the line, the song moves from the fourth chord to the fifth. Such movement, often called a chord progression, forms the basis for much of western popular music. Cohen’s words reverberate through the art form, as the same “secret chord,” or chord progressions, structure countless favorite tunes, from the days of big bands to modern SoundCloud composers. Several of these progressions exist, yet they are often just inversions or substitutions (which basically means played in a different order or just using slightly different but related chords), commonly employing the fourth and the fifth, as noted by “Hallelujah.” Of course, songs typically have a tonal center, which is the one (or first) chord. Additionally, popular sentimental music likes to throw in a minor chord here and there for emotional and sonic complexity. Since at least the 1950s, a favorite choice for such a chord was the sixth. These chords (I-vi-IV-V), the one, six, four, and five, made famous by doo-wop and early sixties popular music, leverage the simplistically beautiful movement described by Cohen. As you can hear in this mixtape playlist, the I-vi-IV-V progression possesses a mystical sustain passed down through the eras.

Every song in this mixtape utilizes the I-vi-IV-V progression in varying capacities. Some pieces, such as Pearl Jam’s cover of “Last Kiss” (also represented by the Spanish version, “el ultimo beso”) play the progression throughout the entire song. Other tracks, like the Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” only run the progression at particular parts (in the ending and the chorus, respectively). The mixtape also presents each track in chronological release date. By doing so, the listener can appreciate the ways in which artists have utilized and articulated the progression to suit the changing moods and tastes of their eras and locations. Unfortunately, while “Hallelujah” contains all four of these chords, it never plays them in the order to make it on this list: the one, to the six, to the four, to the five. That said, songs that play the progression in this order but use variations of the main four chords (such as a dominant seven for the five or a suspended chord for variation) still make the list! As the cover art for this blog illustrates, this mixtape is a record through time, beginning in the 1930s and progressing through to 2015. Of course, the list continues, as people up to this very moment produce music based on this timeless progression!

The research for this mixtape playlist not only illuminated the movement of popular music through time, but also the rapidly changing online environment. Two platforms that would have thematically provided this project a fitting home, tapely and 8tracks, no longer work. Yet, this is just as well thanks to YouTube’s ability to allow the viewer to enjoy music on the audio and visual level. When possible, the included tracks display live performances or footage of the performing musicians. Through this mixtape, the listener can appreciate how they, as well as the performing musicians, experience I-vi-IV-V. 

(Blog cover image made by author in Canva)